Review: hush, hush

By Becca Fitzpatrick
Available October 13 from Simon & Schuster
ARC received from publisher



First, this is technically an incomplete review. I've only read the ARC; the hardcover features a different ending. I'll try to update the blog with my thoughts on the real ending, as soon as I read it.

Clearly I enjoyed HUSH, HUSH enough to want to read the real ending. Nora is a fairly average teenager. Okay, she's a little neurotic and too buttoned down, but everyone's got issues at that age. Her life begins to change when Patch becomes her lab partner in Biology. Nora can't pin it down, but she's got a bad feeling about him. And she does the right thing, by going to Coach and asking to be assigned a different partner. Unfortunately, she screws it up by telling him she doesn't feel threatened by Patch. (Girls? That feeling you get that says a guy is a creeper? That's feeling threatened. Please don't ignore it. It may be irrational, but it might not. There's your PSA for the day. Guys, ya'll shouldn't ignore this instinct either. Girls are just taught to hone it more.)

As Patch continues to be a presence in Nora's life, odd things start happening. She still finds herself blaming Patch for the oddities less and less (even as those around her, like her friend Vee blame him more and more) as she falls in love with him. (Okay, here's your second PSA of the day: when your friend tells you he or she feels something off about the guy pursuing them, don't tell them to ignore it because the pursuer is hot. Looks are not a personality.)

I loved the atmosphere of HUSH, HUSH. Nora's life is somewhat dreary and Patch gives it edges. It was perfect for reading in my apartment before I had any furniture in my room or lights in the living room. (Short, but mostly uninteresting and irrelevant story.) Like Nora, the most the reader can really tell about Patch and what's happening is that there's something wrong. I kind of hate the cover, pretty as it is, because it gives up quite a bit of the story. No, we don't know Patch's agenda or anything, but it's a huge hint about what he is.

HUSH, HUSH does share some of TWILIGHT'S underlying psychological problems. The problem with any story about a girl loving a dangerous guy she shouldn't is that it's a girl loving a dangerous guy she shouldn't. Not that dangerous guys don't need love, but you shouldn't. Luckily, most readers know reality from fiction and can go along for the ride. And it is a fun one. HUSH, HUSH moves along as Nora unfolds the mystery of Patch and what he wants one piece and a time. It doesn't help her that there are other agenda's conflicting with Patch's, but it definitely makes the story even more exciting.

Becca Fitzpatrick doesn't break the teen paranormal romance mold. But she works very well within it, crafting a sympathetic heroine and an ever-irresistible bad boy. Creepy moments and sexy moments abound, in a nice balance. Plus, several of Nora and Patch's conversations are snarky fun.

Contest: Cirque Du Freak

The Vampire's Assistant hits theatres on October 23rd, and I can't wait. (There was a sneak peek for children in my area, which made me madly jealous.) The book series, by Darren Shan, started coming out when I was in fifth grade. I continued reading it through high school since I wanted to know what happened - and the big reveals at the end were definitely surprising. Luckily, my friends shared my taste so they didn't make fun of me for reading a gory kids' series.

The movie stars John C. Reilly as Mr. Crepsley, which I'm still on the fence about. At least the trailer looks funny! The description of the movie is basic, which I find somewhat frustrating.

Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant, based on the popular series of books by Darren Shan, is a fantasy-adventure about a teenager who unknowingly breaks a 200-year-old truce between two warring factions of vampires. Pulled into a fantastic life of misunderstood sideshow freaks and grotesque creatures of the night, one teen will vanish from the safety of a boring existence and fulfill his destiny in a place drawn from nightmares.

But if you haven't read the books yet, don't worry! I've got just the prize for two people. It includes a Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant locker mirror and the movie tie-in edition, which includes the first three Cirque Du Freak novels, CIRQUE DU FREAK, THE VAMPIRE'S ASSISTANT, and TUNNEL OF BLOOD.

Do you love to be scared? Then don't miss the terrifying adventure that begins when Darren and his best friend, Steve, get tickets to the CIRQUE DU FREAK, a wonderfully bizarre and creepy freak show. Brace yourself for thrills and chills as the boys witness a parade of grotesque creatures and face their deepest fears by entering the darkest world of the vampire. In the blood-curdling tradition of Anne Rice and Stephen King, CIRQUE DU FREAK will have you shrieking for the next horror show!

Here's the rules to enter:
Live in the US and be older than 13.
Comment below with the title of your favorite horror movie.
Get extra entries by following (two for those who are already following), Twittering (one per person), and voting on the widget below.

Contest ends Oct 21.

Review Policy, Fall 2009

Content of In Bed With Books includes:

Reviews: I review a variety of genres, including YA (male- or female-oriented), fantasy (traditional/high, urban/low), SF (hard and soft), horror, literary fiction, chick lit, general fiction, and some non-fiction. To request a review, please send an e-mail to inbedwithbooks AT yahoo DOT com including the title, author name, blurb, and other relevant information.

I review romance and erotica for TGTBTU. Review requests for those genres should be submitted to the site owner according to site policy.

I do not review self-published novels or urban fiction. I tend to avoid historical fiction as well.

My reviews include a summary of the novel's premise and my honest reaction to the style and content. I provide links to the author's site and to Amazon. The majority of my reviews are positive since I tend not to waste time on books I do not enjoy.

I am in college. The speed in which I review depends on how busy I am and how interesting I find the book, among other things. I do work to review all requests.

Interviews: My interviews are generally ten questions long. I prefer to interview an author only if I've read and recommend their novel. Please contact me at inbedwithbooks AT yahoo DOT com to arrange an interview.

Guest blogs: I am willing to host both authors and other bloggers. I can provide prompts. Please e-mail me (see above) to arrange a guest blog.

Contests/giveaways: I love hosting contests and giveaways, preferably for books/authors I am familiar with. I try to promote each contest and giveaway on sites independent of IBWB. Please e-mail me (see above) to arrange a contest and/or giveaway.

Compensation: I do not receive, nor would I accept, monetary compensation for my reviews. Review copies may be provided by the author, publisher, or a publicist. I keep the majority of the review copies I receive. ARCs will not be sold, though they may be given away, either to friends or in a contest. Final copies may be resold or given away. The money from resold final copies is used to mail contest prizes and to send books to other blogger reviewers. These free copies do not guarantee a positive review. I reserve the right to write negative reviews.

Reviews include a link to Amazon. The affliate ID belongs to the site owner of TGTBTU, who uses the money to ship books to contest winners and the site reviewers. It is not kept for personal gain.

I do not host advertising.

Address: Since I am in college, my address changes frequently. My current address contains the word "River."

Banned Books Week

Banned Books Week, Sept. 26 - Oct. 3, 2009

Banned Books Week is almost over, but I like that the tradition continues. Yes, parents should be able to police what their kids read. No, they should not police what others let their kids read. And the parents should be aware that their kids will probably get their hands on whatever it is they want to read anyway.

Besides, most kids just skim, read the Cliff's Notes, or ignore assigned books. Trying to ban a book makes it appealing to teenagers. Yes, this Onion article is a satire, but it makes a good point. Also, it's full of brilliant lines, like:

"Desensitized to sex and violence from an early age, today's teens simply expect more out of their banned books than previous generations," said Naomi Gould, director of the D.C.-based National Education Consortium. "For the teens of yesteryear, access to novels like Tropic Of Cancer, Portnoy's Complaint, and Lady Chatterley's Lover was an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime thrill. But for teens raised on Cinemax and Def Comedy Jam, it just doesn't cut it."

However, don't take the satire at face value. LADY CHATTERLEY'S LOVER is absolutely worth reading.

September Round-Up

Want to know if you missed anything exciting this month? (Probably not, but humor me.)

I nominate September as the Month of Fire, considering I reviewed two books with fire in the title and another with fire on the cover.

My favorite posts this month are my interview with Libba Bray and my review of BALLAD.

Contests and Promotions

End of Maximum Ride Promotion
Winners: haley and Jen
Please e-mail me with your address if you see this before I e-mail you.

Signed hardcover of FIRE by Kristin Cashore, runs until October 3

Interviews and Guest Blogs

Kristin Cashore

Libba Bray

Reviews

CATCHING FIRE

GEEKTASTIC: Stories from the Nerd Herd

SO PUNK ROCK: And Other Ways to Disappoint Your Mother

GRACELING

FIRE

BALLAD: A Gathering of Faerie

DUPLIKATE

QUEENE OF LIGHT

FREUDIAN SLIP